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Share Milking Area and Milk machines etc.

3K views 36 replies 11 participants last post by  littleheathens 
#1 ·
Please share about your milk stand/milk stool, milking area and your method of milking..machine brand, hands,other storage methods, etc.
~Pics are most welcome or you can just tell us about it.
Organizing ideas or things you need to keep out in the milking area would be good.

I am trying to get ideas for setting up and organizing a milking area. Dh gave me one of his old metal tool chests that has a table-like top on it to keep my milk type stuff in. We will be building the milk stand. I have both Lamanchas and Nigerian Dwarfs.
I am currently converting an old metal garage/shed building (with a 3 car covered attached carport) into a couple kidding stalls and in the front area will be my milk stand etc. There is electicity out there and a hose spigot on the back outside corner. Its a 17ft x14 ft. building.

I will probably start out hand milking but I will be looking for a milk machine .
If people could share what brand they have and what they like or don't like about it, that would be great!
 
#33 ·
I have read the replies that you have gotten. What works for you may not work for some one else. But you can get good ideas.
I have been milking cows and now goats for almost 62 years. Our method is simple. We have 2 milk stands with feed troughs attached on the end with the head locks under a shed attached to the feed building where we keep a refrigerator and other necessary medicine and tools and such plus feed and minerals. The shed is enclosed with goat panels. At one end of the panels is a gate to the goats. On the other end a gate to exit and enter the building.
We clean the teats with baby wipes with no alcoholic content. Then when clean, we hand milk into a half gallon plastic pitcher and when finished with that doe the lid is put on. Each doe gets a separate pitcher for het milk. That way we can inspect and isolate any milk that might need to be kept separate. After milk the milk is placed into the refrigerator. When milking is complete then we carry the milk to the house and strain it through a fine coffee filter. The kind that comes with a coffee maker. It washable and reusable and removes all particles from the milk. Simple but effective. We can milk our 4-5 milk does before we could even think about setting up and then clean a milking machine and hoses. Good luck and hope you figure out what you need.
 
#34 · (Edited)
TexasGoatMan, thank you for your reply.
Wow 62 years of milking experience! That is amazing. I bet you could write a book on all your milking and goat/cow "adventures" lol. You must have some stories to tell!
That's a good tip on keeping the milk in separate containers until you can inspect it and make sure it won't contaminate all the other milk. I will be looking into that coffee filter. Its good to have a reusable source.
I need to rig up a little fridge out by the barn somehow. We are converting an old metal garage/barn with a sandy dirt floor (Florida). It has a 3-car metal roof carport attached to it.
I am thinking of keeping the milkstand in a part of that open carport area, gated off from the rest of the barn etc. We set up a gate between the pasture and carport and will have individual stalls with gates built inside the barn.
I ended up making a wood milk stand then buying a metal head stall part.
I decided to start out hand milking so I can become proficient at it before buying a machine. It will be only me milking and I work, so it would mainly be for time saving reasons.
 
#35 ·
The problem with a milking machine is if you only milk a few goats, there isn't a lot of time saved if you have to wash all the equipment each milking. Hoegger used to sell a belly milker, with only the pan, lid and inflations that needed washing- but I doubt they still sell that.

My personal rule is under 4 goats, hand milk, over- machine! (because I have carpel tunnel, 4 is the max I can milk). Our power goes out, I am toast- milking 65-70 by hand - no way!
 
#36 ·
This spring, I'm only milking 3 so hand milking is good. I am planning to keep any does I get from kidding and I have 2 does coming from a breeder next month. I have 2 does now that I didn't breed this past fall because they were a little young still. I will be breeding them next fall.
So, I figure next year, I will be milking at least 7. So maybe it will be feasible then.
I also have Carpal Tunnel, its so annoying sometimes.
 
#37 ·
We have a large Mini-Nubian and a smallish Nigerian and our stand works for the two. If you cut the space in the stanchion correctly (a wide vertical area) and keep your rail for feed bucket at the right position, it works. We've had a full size goat in milk too. I might make a removable riser several inches high for the Nigerians because it seems like it would be more comfortable. I want to hinge it on to the stand so it folds up and creates a little wall on one side so they feel a little more contained. My goats are leaners.

I've yet to find my perfect bucket system. Sometimes I use a disposable coffee filter (actually tea, I screw it on the jar with the ring), and sometimes a reusable gold coffee filter. When I have my stand in the attached garage it's great- right next to kitchen.
 
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